President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers state, blaming Governor Siminalayi Fubara for heightening the political crisis that had rocked the state for over one year now.
The President in a nation-wide radio and television broadcast accused the state governor of demolishing the state House of Assembly Complex without tangible reason.
No mention was made in the broadcast of Mr. Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers state, and current minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), whose overt opposition to Governor Fubara’s administration is said to have largely promoted the political crisis in the state.
A stout member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Wike is a minister under the All Progressives Congess(APC)led administration. The 27 Rivers state lawmakers who recently defected to the APC are Mr. Wike’s loyalists.
The President in his broadcast suspended the governor, his executive and the state legislature for a period of six months, while Wike was retained as minister.
The President’s speech reads:-
“Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
“With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.”
“Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
“On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:
“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.
“The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members.
“The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
“Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
“Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
“Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
“With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
“In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
“This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.” Mr. President reiterated
Following the developments that necessitated the State of emergency in Rivers state explosion suspected to be Bomb rocked an oil facility in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State
This bomb explosion on Tuesday morning, marking the second major blast in the state within just 12 hours. The explosion occurred at a Manifold Connecting federal line in Okwawriwa, sending large plumes of flames and thick smoke into the air.
The affected pipeline transports petroleum products from major oil companies, including Seplat, Agip, and Shell, supplying areas in ONELGA, parts of Imo State, and Brass in Bayelsa State. Thankfully, the facility is situated away from residential zones, significantly minimizing the risk of casualties.
The blast raised serious concerns among locals and officials alike. The incident follows a similar explosion at the Trans-Niger Pipeline in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area, which also occurred within the past 24 hours. That explosion, which took place at a Shell-operated facility, disrupts crude oil supply to the Bonny Terminal, a vital export hub.
Security agencies have already initiated investigations into both explosions. The Rivers State Police Command had detained two individuals in connection with the Trans-Niger Pipeline explosion, though no one has been formally charged yet.
Authorities are still working to ascertain the cause of both explosions, the frequency and timing of the attacks have sparked concerns about the possibility of sabotage.
Meanwhile socio-political pressure group, the Niger Delta Advancement Frontiers (NDAF), has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of allegedly orchestrating the pipeline explosion that rocked Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Addressing journalists in Bomadi, Delta State, NDAF spokesman Tianabeso Abere claimed that Wike had previously hinted at such an incident during a media chat, where he reportedly suggested that pipeline sabotage was not exclusive to the Ijaw people but had also been carried out by other ethnic groups, including his own—the Ikwerres.
According to Abere, the explosion was a deliberate ploy to terminate the pipeline surveillance contracts currently handled by ex-Niger Delta agitators. He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and prevent what he described as an impending crisis fueled by Wike’s alleged desperation for power.
However, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the fire incident at the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). In a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the police disclosed that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion. Two individuals have already been taken in for questioning as part of efforts to uncover any possible act of sabotage.
The police assured the public that those responsible for criminal activities in the region would be identified and brought to justice.
